Death
Bill a possibility

LEGISLATION allowing voluntary euthanasia for the terminally ill
may be debated this year in State Parliament.

Legislative Council leader Kim Chance said he hoped a reform of Upper
House sitting hours would soon see time set aside each week to debate non-Government
Bills.

Assuming it did, voluntary euthanasia legislation introduced by Greens
(WA) MLC Robin Chapple would probably be among the private member's Bills
debated. Mr Chance said his personal view was that euthanasia was an issue
society needed to understand.

"It is obviously a difficult question for many members and people
in the community, but I think it's one we have got to try to come to terms
with," he said.

But given the long list of Government legislation waiting to be debated
in the House, the Bill was not a Government priority.

Premier Geoff Gallop has said the Labor Party would allow a debate
and conscience vote on euthanasia if one of the other parties put a Bill before
Parliament.

Mr Chapple said there was broad community support for voluntary euthanasia
and people wanted a debate. It was clear that suicides were occurring, particularly
among the aged, which caused a great deal of trauma for surviving family members
and potential legal risk for medical professionals.

Instead of being forced into bizarre means of taking their lives
there should be a dignified process for those who, because of a clinical condition,
were at the end of their tether and felt enough was enough.

Euthanasia advocate Philip Nitschke said he had also found strong
support in WA.

He was next due in Perth in May and about 60 people had already booked
to do his workshops, which were usually attended by people who were not sick
but wanted information. Six people who were quite ill and wanted to discuss
their options had booked in as clinic patients.

WA Voluntary Euthanasia Society president Ralph White said his group
had been pressing for a debate on the subject for 23 years. But Parliament
should pass laws wider than Mr Chapple proposed.

There were many people not terminally ill but suffered with conditions
from which they were not expected to recover. They also should have the option
of euthanasia.

A Westpoll last year found 74 per cent of the people surveyed supported
voluntary euthanasia.

Mr Chapple's Bill would allow terminally ill people to make legally
binding plans for their deaths. They would be allowed to choose how they died
and arrange it six months in advance.

They would have to be mentally competent, there would be steps to ensure their
consent was authentic and a cooling-off period would apply. Anyone witnessing
or assisting a death would be protected from prosecution.